Kia Seltos Recalls (2021-2024)

What recalls does the Kia Seltos have?

• 2021-2023 Kia Seltos Engine Recall (25V099)
  February 17, 2025 · 137,256 vehicles · Engine

  The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

  Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge.

• 2023 Kia Soul Air Bag Recall (23V830)
  December 22, 2023 · 2,967 vehicles · Air Bags

  Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.

  Risk: An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge.

• 2023 Kia Soul Drivetrain Pump Recall (23V531) Park outside
  July 31, 2023 · 39,765 vehicles · Transmission

  The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.

  Risk: An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.

  Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.

• 2021 Kia Soul Engine Recall (21V259)
  April 13, 2021 · 147,249 vehicles · Engine

  0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

  Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge.

Which Seltos parts are recalled most?

Which Seltos model years have the most recalls?

How do I check my Seltos for open recalls?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. The lookup lists every open safety recall on that specific vehicle, so you will see which of the 4 Kia Seltos campaigns above apply to you. You can also ask any authorized Kia dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is on your registration card, your insurance card, and a plate at the lower driver-side corner of the windshield. Brand-new recalls can take a few days to show up, so check again if you received a letter.

What are Seltos owners reporting?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA since 2020, by model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports, but the components that come up most often show where owners are having trouble.

Excerpts from owner complaints (unverified):

While driving at low speeds, the vehicle would stall, no engine lights or warnings would appear on the dashboard. After turning it off and back on, it would run but stall again shortly later. An unfamiliar foul odor appeared from the dipstick as I checked the oil. Car only has 60k miles on it.

2021 KIA Seltos owner, Engine, NHTSA complaint 11635210

Transmission failed at 37k miles..noticed when the car was sluggish. Open the hood and the coolant reservoir was black.

2021 KIA Seltos owner, Power Train, NHTSA complaint 11644431

I bought this car for my daughter during her second year at IU Bloomington, IN. She called in a panic, saying the car hesitated and stopped. She also shared if she turns car off, the car will restart. I advised her to take it to the nearby KIA dealership for inspection.

2022 KIA Seltos owner, Engine, NHTSA complaint 11635520

Can a recall make your Seltos a lemon in California?

Owners of a Kia Seltos often ask whether these recalls mean their vehicle qualifies under California's lemon law. Not by themselves. The question is whether a covered defect keeps coming back, or keeps the vehicle at the dealer, after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

3 involve the engine, transmission or high-voltage battery, the kinds of repairs that often take several visits or weeks of downtime.

Within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the same defect was repaired two or more times when it is likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases, and owners outside that window can still have a claim. An owner who prevails can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

What to keep: every repair order, the recall owner letters, your purchase or lease contract, and a log of dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure every visit is written up, even when the dealer says it found nothing.

More Kia Seltos lemon law pages

All Kia recalls · 2021 Kia Seltos lemon law · 2022 Kia Seltos lemon law · 2023 Kia Seltos lemon law · 2024 Kia Seltos lemon law

Other Kia models with recalls

• Carnival: 7 recalls
• Carnival Hybrid: 1 recall
• EV6: 5 recalls
• EV9: 10 recalls
• Forte: 5 recalls
• K4: 3 recalls
• K5: 9 recalls
• Niro: 3 recalls
• Niro EV: 5 recalls
• Niro PHEV: 3 recalls
• Rio: 2 recalls
• Seltos: 4 recalls
• Sorento: 13 recalls
• Sorento Hybrid: 6 recalls
• Sorento PHEV: 8 recalls
• Soul: 5 recalls
• Sportage: 11 recalls
• Sportage Hybrid: 2 recalls
• Sportage PHEV: 3 recalls
• Stinger: 5 recalls
• Telluride: 16 recalls
• Telluride Hybrid: 2 recalls

Frequently asked questions about Kia Seltos recalls